Coach Carla on Vitamin D

Vitamin D, the Sunshine Vitamin!

I first heard about taking Vitamin D at a health workshop a couple of years ago. I never really thought about how I feel during the winter months until I heard the speaker talking about low energy and feeling depressed. Ha! I could identify with that and so I tried taking a Vitamin D supplement during the fall and winter months and immediately noticed a change in how I felt. I no longer experienced random, unexplainable depressing moods or energy slumps in the middle of the day.

Vitamin D is synthesized when ultraviolet rays from sunlight penetrate the skin, so we get most of what we need during the spring and summer just from being outside. All you need is 10 minutes a day of midday, pre-sunscreen sun exposure. It is not found naturally in many foods, sometimes it’s added to foods, or taken as a supplement.

Here are some of the health benefits:

important for normal growth and development of bones and teeth

taken with calcium, helps protect older adults from osteoporosis

reduces likelihood of developing the flu

helps regulate mood and wards off depression

supports healthy immune function

reduces inflammation

Have you ever felt those “winter blues” even if you are eating well, exercising a few times a week and getting proper rest? Consider adding this to your daily routine during the months of October – March/April and see how much better you feel!